The Light
“Call to the path of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation,
and argue with people in the best manner.” (Holy Quran, 16:125)
AND
ISLAMIC REVIEW
Exponent of Islam and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement
for over ninety years
July – September 2015
In the spirit of the above-cited verse, this periodical attempts to dispel
misunderstandings about the religion of Islam and endeavors to
facilitate inter-faith dialogue based on reason and rationality.
Vol. 92
CONTENTS
No. 3
Muhammad, the Final Prophet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
An introduction to Prophet Muhammad from a Muslim perspective
and a review of how others viewed him through the ages
— By Fazeel S. Khan, Esq.
A Message of Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The need for mutual respect and understanding in interfaith relations
— By Professor Michael Birkel
The Life of Prophet Muhammad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
— By Dr. Noman Malik
Significance of the Name “Ahmadiyya” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
— By Dr. Mohammad Ahmad
Published on the World-Wide Web at: www.muslim.org
◆ Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore Inc., U.S.A. ◆
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JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
■
The Light was founded in 1921 as the organ of the AHMADIyyA ANjUMAN
ISHA‘AT ISLAM (Ahmadiyya Association for the Propagation of Islam) of
Lahore, Pakistan. The Islamic Review was published in England from
1913 for over 50 years, and in the U.S.A. from 1980 to 1991. The present
periodical represents the beliefs of the worldwide branches of the
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam, Lahore.
ISSN: 1060–4596
Editor: Fazeel S. Khan, Esq.
Circulation: Mrs. Samina Malik.
Contact information:
‘The Light’, P.O. Box 3370, Dublin, Ohio 43016, U.S.A.
Phone: 614 – 873 1030 • Fax: 614 – 873 1022
E-mails: [email protected]
Website: www.muslim.org
The main objective of the A.A.I.I.L. is to present the true, original message
of Islam to the whole world — Islam as it is found in the Holy Quran and
the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, obscured today by grave misconceptions and wrong popular notions.
Islam seeks to attract the hearts and minds of people towards the truth,
by means of reasoning and the natural beauty of its principles.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (d. 1908), our Founder, arose to remind the
world that Islam is:
International: It recognizes prophets being raised among all nations
and requires Muslims to believe in them all. Truth and goodness
can be found in all religions. God treats all human beings equally,
regardless of race, nationality or religion.
Peaceful: Allows use of force only in unavoidable self-defence.
Teaches Muslims to live peacefully under any rule which accords
them freedom of religion.
Tolerant: Gives full freedom to everyone to hold and practise any
creed or religion. Requires us to tolerate differences of belief and
opinion.
Rational: In all matters, it urges use of human reason and knowledge.
Blind following is condemned and independence of thought is
granted.
Inspiring: Worship is not a ritual, but provides living contact with a
Living God, Who answers prayers and speaks to His righteous servants even today as in the past.
Non-sectarian: Every person professing Islam by the words La ilaha
ill-Allah, Muhammad-ur rasul-ullah (There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) is a Muslim. A Muslim
cannot be expelled from Islam by anyone.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad taught that no prophet, old or new, is to arise
after the Holy Prophet Muhammad. However, Mujaddids will be raised
by God to revive and rekindle the light of Islam.
About ourselves
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam Lahore
has branches in many countries including:
U.S.A.
Australia
U.K.
Canada
Indonesia
Germany
Trinidad
South Africa
Holland
Suriname
Guyana
Fiji
India
Philippines
Achievements:
The Anjuman has produced extensive
literature on Islam, originally in English and
Urdu, including translations of the
Holy Quran with commentaries. These books
are being translated into other languages,
including French, German, Spanish, Dutch,
Russian, Chinese, and Arabic. The Anjuman
has run several Muslim missions around the
world, including the first ever in Western
Europe.
History:
1889: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founds
the Ahmadiyya Movement.
1901: Movement given name Ahmadiyya
after Holy Prophet Muhammad’s other
famous name Ahmad.
1905: Hazrat Mirza appoints central body
(Anjuman) to manage the Movement.
1908: Death of Hazrat Mirza. Succeeded by
Maulana Nur-ud-Din as Head.
1914: Death of Maulana Nur-ud-Din.
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam
founded at Lahore as continuation of the
original Anjuman. Maulana Muhammad
Ali elected as Head.
1951: Death of Maulana Muhammad Ali
after fifty years of glorious service to the
cause of Islam. Maulana Sadr-ud-Din
(d. 1981) becomes Head.
1981–1996: Dr Saeed Ahmad Khan, an eminent medical doctor and religious scholar, led the Movement, at a time of
intense persecution.
1996–2002: Prof. Dr Asghar Hameed, a
distinguished
retired
University
Professor of Mathematics, and learned
Islamic scholar, served as Head.
2002: Prof. Dr Abdul Karim Saeed Pasha
elected Head.
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
Muhammad,
the Final Prophet
An introduction to Prophet Muhammad
from a Muslim perspective, and a review
of how others viewed him through the ages.
By Fazeel S. Khan, Esq.
[The theme of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society’s
annual symposium this year – held in Columbus, Ohio
on August 15, 2015 – was titled “The True Portrait of
Prophet Muhammad”. With the recent controversies
concerning the Charlie Hebdo cartoons of Prophet
Muhammad and the subsequent “Draw Muhammad”
contests emerging in the United States, this particular
theme provided an opportunity to dispel the misinformation about Prophet Muhammad upon which many of
these depictions are based, and practically demonstrate
Prophet Muhammad’s lessons on responding to abuse
and ridicule with peaceful dialogue. This article was
presented by the Editor as the introductory presentation
to the symposium this year. In this article, the Editor
explains the significance of the term “the last prophet”
that Muslims attribute to the Holy Prophet Muhammad,
and reviews how many influential historical figures who
had the opportunity to study his life viewed him through
the ages.]
Introduction
I’d like to begin with a short story about a man who fell
in the ocean and he couldn’t swim. When a boat came
by, the captain yelled: “Do you need help, sir?” The man
replied: “No, God will save me”. A little later, another
boat came by and a fisherman asked: “Hey, do you need
help?” The man again replied: “No, God will save me.”
Well, eventually the man drowned. He ended up in heaven and asked an angel why God didn’t save him. The
angel replied: “you fool, he sent you two boats.”
The Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society (which is the
U.S. branch of the international Lahore Ahmadiyya
Movement) views controversies about Islam as opportunities (boats, if you will) to educate people about
Islam and also to reclaim our religion from those who
espouse extremist views and propaganda. And, although
our work is multi-faceted and international in scope,
one way in which we do this locally is by hosting an
annual symposium devoted to a topic about Islam that is
relevant to some contemporary issue.
A few years ago, when a Florida-based pastor
received national (even international) attention for staging a “Burn the Quran” day, we focused our symposium
on discussing what is actually contained in this holy
scripture of Islam. When certain political groups
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3
engaged in concerted campaigns to push what was
referred to as “Anti-Sharia” legislation in various states,
we focused our symposium on addressing what the concept of sharia actually entails. When a popular topic in
public discourse revolved around the “science vs. religion” debate, we held a symposium titled “The Story of
Adam: A Discussion on Evolution and Revelation”, and
we addressed, from an Islamic perspective, whether science and religion are inherently incompatible. This
year, with the widespread attention drawn (no pun
intended) by the publishing of the controversial cartoons of Prophet Muhammad by Charlie Hebdo, and the
subsequent provocative “Draw Muhammad” contests
emerging here in the United States (recently in Texas
and Arizona), we felt it would be timely to focus our
symposium on discussing the person of Prophet
Muhammad. Who was Prophet Muhammad? What was
his character? And how did he live his life?
Far from the views upon which much of these caricatures are based, a review of Prophet Muhammad’s life
from authentic records reveals a much different narrative. And our keynote address later this morning by Dr.
Noman Malik will provide such a narrative and also
address some of the common allegations made against
him. And by responding to such criticisms made against
Prophet Muhammad through peaceful dialogue, we
hope to show by example what Prophet Muhammad’s
lessons actually were on how to respond to abuse and
ridicule. And this really is of primary importance, as the
violent reactions by some claiming to defend the honor
of the Prophet were immeasurably more insulting to his
image than any cartoon or slur, no matter how vile.
And later this afternoon, we will have a presentation on
the specific topic of “Freedom of Opinion” according to
Islam by our learned member from Australia, Prosecutor
Sadar-ud-Din Sahukhan. But first I will be providing a
brief introduction on what Muslims actually believe about
Prophet Muhammad, and what conclusions about him
were reached by very well-respected individuals throughout history who had the opportunity to study his life.
Concept of God in Islam
So, to start, according to Islam, there is only One God,
Who has no associate or companion. This monotheistic
belief is the very foundation of the Islamic faith. And
the Quran views Abraham as the archetype of this
monotheistic faith. Prophet Abraham is repeatedly
pointed out as comprehending that the True, Supreme,
All-Powerful, Perfect God is One, and that it is to this
One God that mankind is to submit itself completely.
And it is this Abrahamic model of faith that Islam
endeavors to reestablish (as is shown in these verses):
God speaks the truth; so follow the religion of
Abraham, the upright one. And he (Abraham)
was not one of the polytheists (3:95).
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And who is better in religion than he who submits
himself entirely to God while doing good (to others) and follows the faith of Abraham, the upright
one? And God took Abraham for a friend (4:125).
As for me, my Lord has guided me to the right
path — a right religion, the faith of Abraham,
the upright one, and he (Abraham) was not of the
polytheists (6:161).
So, the God of Islam is the God of Abraham, the
same God jews and Christians worship.
Institution of Prophethood
Now, Muhammad, on the other hand, is regarded as
only one of the prophets of God, a mortal and in no way
himself divine. In fact, a Muslim must not only believe
in the prophethood of Muhammad, but in all the
prophets and messengers of God. See, the institution of
prophethood according to Islam is based on the understanding that prophets were sent to all people on earth.
So, all people were equally blessed with God’s favors
and guidance, as is shown in these verses:
“There is not a people but a warner has gone
among them” (35:24)
“For every nation there is a messenger” (10:47)
These prophets had two primary functions: 1) to
deliver a divine message to the people to which they
were sent, and 2) to serve as a role model as to how to
live a life in accordance with that divine message. And
this concept of the universiality of the institution of
prophethood is very clearly presented in this verse of
the Quran:
“We believe in God and (in) that which has been
revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to
Abraham, and Ishmael and Isaac and jacob and
the tribes, and (in) that which was given to Moses
and jesus, and (in) that which was given to the
prophets from their Lord, we do not make any distinction between any of them and to Him (God) do
we submit.” (2:136)
Now, although this verse specifically mentions certain Israelite prophets, we are told in the Quran that God
sent prophets to all nations on earth, not to just one people. In one report the Holy Prophet Muhammad is
recorded as saying that there have been 124,000
prophets in all. So, just as God is understood as being
the Creator and Sustainer of all people, so too is it recognized that every people or nation or tribe was provided spiritual blessings equally.
Distinguishing Characteristic of Prophet
Muhammad
What distinguishes Prophet Muhammad from all of the
other prophets is that Prophet Muhammad is referred to
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JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
in the Quran as “khatam-an-nabiyeen”, which means
the “seal” or “last” of the prophets. So Muslims believe
Prophet Muhammad is the final prophet, to whom was
revealed the final message for mankind, a universal
message for all people and not any specific nation, as is
reflected in these verses:
“Say: O Mankind, surely I am the Messenger of
God to you all.” (7:158);
“And We have not sent thee but as a bearer of good
news and as a warner to all mankind.” (34:28).
And just as a prophet serves as a role model in addition to delivering a divine message, Prophet
Muhammad is understood as satisfying the role of the
“last prophet” due to the diversity of his life experiences
and the comprehensive practical examples he provided
to all of humanity as to how to live a righteous life in
various roles. As the Quran states:
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of God (i.e.
Muhammad) an excellent exemplar” (33:21).
This is the distinguishing characteristic of Prophet
Muhammad. See, from an orphan to a king of a great
empire, Prophet Muhammad passed through all phases
of life. And his life was so multi-faceted, that he was
able to provide a model for people in many different
roles.
• If he had not been a laborer, he could not have
revealed the value and integrity in working with one’s
own hands and earning an honest living;
• If he had not in his youth organized grass-roots
campaigns to serve the poor and protect the weaker
members of society, he could not have been an inspiration for socially conscious community organizers.
• If he had not married, he would have left people
unguided in practically half of their daily interactions,
and could not have shown how to be a kind and affectionate spouse and a loving parent;
• If he had not served among the ranks of a military,
he could not have been an exemplar for a soldier laying
down his (or her) life in the cause of truth, justice and
freedom;
• If he had not been the head of an armed force, he
could not have served as an example for a responsible
general or an accountable commander in chief;
• If he had not formed rules and regulations for his
community, he could not have been regarded as an
example for a conscientious legislator;
• If he had not been in the position to decide disputes
among people, he could not have served as a model for
an impartial judge or effective mediator;
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• If he had not had life-long friends, he could not
have shown the beauty in true and trusted companionship;
movements trace their roots (like that of Dr. Martin
Luther King jr.’s civil rights movement), after studying
the life of Prophet Muhammad wrote:
See, it is due to the diversity of Prophet Muhammad’s
life experiences that Muslims understand why he is the
final prophet and, accordingly, an excellent exemplar for
mankind. It is not through his sermons and teachings
only that we can estimate his character, but rather by
learning how he actually lived out those principles
throughout his life.
Sir George Bernard Shaw, well-known Irish
dramatist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient for Literature
wrote (in 1925):
• And if he had not been persecuted by tyrants, and
then overcome his persecuting enemies, and forgiven
them without enforcing any punishment against them,
he could not have practically illustrated the lessons on
compassion, mercy and forgiveness that are contained
in all revealed scriptures.
What Others Say About Him
And many renowned persons who were not Muslims,
from various spheres of life, who are recognized as
leaders in their fields, who studied the life of Prophet
Muhammad as a historical figure have come to some
fascinating conclusions.
Rev. Bosworth Smith, carefully studied the life of
Prophet Muhammad, and in his book “Mohammad and
Mohammadism” published in 1874, writes:
“Head of the State as well as the Church, he was
Caesar and Pope in one; but, he was Pope without
the Pope’s pretensions, and Caesar without the
legions of Caesar, without a standing army, without
a bodyguard, without a police force, without a fixed
revenue. If ever a man had the right to say that he
ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad, for he
had all the powers without their supports. He cared
not for the dressings of power. The simplicity of his
private life was in keeping with his public life.”
Annie Besant, a prominent British women’s rights
activist, writer and spokesperson for the National
Secular Society, wrote in her book “The Life and
Teachings of Muhammad” (1932), p.4:
“It is impossible for anyone who studies the life
and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who
knew how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one
of the great messengers of the Supreme. And
although in what I put to you I shall say many
things which may be familiar to many, yet I
myself feel, whenever I reread them, a new way of
admiration, a new sense of reverence for that
mighty Arabian teacher.”
Mahatma Gandhi, the pre-eminent leader of the
Indian Independence Movement in British-ruled India,
and the person to whom modern day non-violence
“… I became more than ever convinced that it was
not the sword that won a place for Islam in those
days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the prophet, the
scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense
devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and
his own mission. These, and not the sword, carried
everything before them and surmounted every
trouble.”
“I have studied him (Muhammad) - the wonderful
man … He was by far the most remarkable man
that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a
moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic
society to practice and represent his teachings and
completely revolutionized the worlds of human
thought and behavior for all times to come.”
Thomas Carlyle, famous Scottish philosopher,
writer and historian, considered one of the most important social commentators of his time, who produced the
famed work “On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic
in History”, after studying the life of Prophet
Muhammad wrote:
“The lies (from western critics), which wellmeaning zeal has heaped round this man
(Muhammad) are disgraceful to ourselves only …
How one man single-handedly could weld warring tribes and Bedouins into a most powerful and
civilized nation in less than two decades … A
silent great soul, one of that cannot but be earnest.
He was to kindle the world; the world’s Maker
had ordered so.”
More recently, Dr. Michael Hart, a scientist by profession, studied important historical figures and ranked
the top 100 most influential persons in history. He published his rankings in a book titled: “The 100”, and number one on his list was “Prophet Muhammad”. He writes:
“He [Muhammad] was the only man in history
who was supremely successful on both the secular
and religious level … It is this unparalleled combination of the secular and religious influence
which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered
to be the most influential single figure in human
history.”
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Similarly, the Encyclopedia Britannica, after
exhaustive research and study concluded:
“Of all religious personalities of the world,
Muhammad was the most successful.”
And a narrative of Prophet Muhammad’s life, from
his birth to his death, that provides details about significant events that contributed to this most successful life,
will be shared in the Keynote address.
Which brings me to the end of my introduction. I
thank you very much for your attention. ■
A Message of Understanding
The need for mutual respect and understanding in
interfaith relations.
Prof. Michael Birkel
[Each year the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society hosts a
symposium devoted to a topic about Islam that is relevant
to contemporary issues. And it is customary to include as
part of the annual symposium a talk from an interfaith
partner. The 2015 annual symposium was titled “The True
Portrait of Prophet Muhammad” and Prof. Michael
Birkel was our interfaith partner. Prof. Birkel teaches
Religious Studies at Earlham College and is widely published, particularly on topics related to Quaker thought.
His most recent publication is the book “Quran in
Conversation”, of which the Editor is also a contributor.
This article is a message of understanding that was presented by Prof. Birkel at the symposium this year.]
First of all, thank you for the opportunity to be your
guest. I want to express my appreciation for the Lahore
Ahmadiyya Movement and the way that it has been an
important source of renewal and inspiration among
Muslims worldwide, as well as a center of education for
non-Muslims like me. May your work continue to be a
source of blessing for you and for all whom you serve.
I have recently returned from a three-week institute
in Washington, D. C. , sponsored by the National
Endowment for the Humanities. The theme of this gathering of university professors was Islam in America. I
learned a great deal in this time, including the role of the
Ahmadiyya Movement in bringing the message of
Islam to this continent. I was particularly moved to
learn how Ahmadis, who on the whole tended to be
from the well-educated and prosperous segment of society in South Asia, reached out to those in this country
who bore the burdens of poverty and racial discrimination. The historical influence of Ahmadiyya among
African American Muslims is a story that deserves to be
more widely known. I was deeply touched by your community’s commitment to justice and human equality.
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JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
I became acquainted with your movement through
Fazeel Khan. We met by providence at an annual conference of the Islamic Society of North America. I was
attending a session and sat down next to Fazeel and his
gracious father, Dr. Noman Malik. It was the beginning of
a friendship. I learned much on many topics, from the
prophethood of Muhammad (may the peace and blessings
of God be upon him) to social justice to the hereafter, but
the core of his message to me was that the purpose of
human life is to identify, understand, and emulate the
divine attributes of God—a beautiful description of Islam,
and an invitation into the very heart of the spiritual life.
At that time I was working on a project that became a
book on the Qur’an as interpreted by Muslims in North
America. This project began with my concern that there
was a need for non-Muslims like me to know what
Muslims truly believed about their faith and their scripture. So I met with some 25 Muslim leaders and scholars. It was an extraordinary experience of Muslim hospitality and generosity as they shared about what is precious to them about the Qur’an. The resulting book
shows how the Qur’an gives life to the American ummah
and how the Qur’an comes to life within the ummah. My
hope is that the fruits of my labors will be to contribute
in some way to promoting interfaith understanding.
This project was labor intensive, but it was so
rewarding to me personally that I wondered if there
might be more. just as non-Muslims need to know
about the Qur’an and about how it is read and understood by Muslims (since it is a complex text, at least to
newcomers), there is a need to understand how Muslims
regard the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In fact, if it were
possible, I could imagine a similar project focused on
the Prophet, in which I ask Muslims what the Prophet
means to them. I am sure that the results would be
enlightening. In my visits with Muslims while working
on the book, I did of course learn both about the Prophet
and about aspects of his life speak powerfully to
Muslims today. jamal Badawi spoke with me about the
time that Christian leaders from Najaran in yemen visited
Muhammad in Medina. They discussed religious matters.
The Christians declined the invitation to embrace Islam,
yet Muhammad still allowed them to offer Christian
prayers in his mosque and sent them on their way in
peace. This story shows how the Prophet believed in tolerance, respect, and peaceful living together.
Imam Hassan al-Qazwini spoke with me about the
hadith in which Aisha said that the Prophet’s lifestyle
was the Qur’an: offering forgiveness and kindness to
neighbors, repelling evil with good and thereby turning
enemies into friends.
Several spoke of Muhammad as a mercy to all the
worlds, the means through which divine transcendence
comes close to us, so that we can know God.
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
Fazeel Khan taught me about what it means for
Muhammad to be the seal of the prophets, how he
exemplifies the divine attributes that humanity is to
emulate, how the Prophet was a model of non-violence,
as in the treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
Now I am sure that none of this is news to you, but
what I find enlightening is how Muslims in this current
time and place see your Prophet. In the Christian tradition, jesus has been seen in many ways across the centuries: a rabbi to his earliest followers, the light of the
nations to those who spread Christianity among the gentiles, the king of kings to early martyrs who refused to
worship the Roman emperor as a god, the soul’s beloved
to the mystics, a philosopher to Renaissance thinkers, the
bringer of peace to believers in what are called the peace
churches, and the liberator to those who suffer injustice.
Similarly, Muhammad has been many things to his
followers: businessman, spouse, parent, prophet, statesman, lawgiver and interpreter (perhaps the inspiration
for Fazeel’s work as a civil rights attorney), general,
diplomat, peacemaker, and much more. All these are
true, but some speak to the community more at one season than another. The figure of Muhammad responds to
the needs of the community. Perhaps it is like the 99
Names of God, as some Muslims have explained it to
me. God is all these things, but some believers find in
their devotion to God that some names have more
meaning at some points in their lives. Perhaps
Muhammad is like that for his community.
What has moved me above all is the tremendous love
that Muslims have for Muhammad. To an outsider,
especially one who is chiefly informed by the limited
views in the media, the Prophet may seem frightening.
After all, here is someone who is spoken to by God,
who leads cities and armies, who has the power to dispense justice. yet I met no Muslims who fear
Muhammad. Instead, there is only warmth and great
affection. This may not be part of my tradition as a nonMuslim, but it can still be edifying because it is beautiful. I have been told that there is a hadith that reports
that God is beautiful and loves beauty. Those of us outside the community can be moved by the beautiful practices within Islam.
As different communities of faith meet, they can come
to appreciate the gifts of one another, gifts that would be
erased if the boundaries between our traditions did not
serve to preserve them. We encounter some beliefs and
practices that are similar and others that differ, but we can
meet these differences with deep respect, honesty, appreciation, generosity, and friendship. I am here with you
today because my life has been enriched by my friendship with Muslims, and I am grateful for that gift. ■
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The Life of Prophet
Muhammad
7
By Dr. Noman Malik
[This article represents the Keynote Address at the
Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society’s annual symposium
this year titled “The True Portrait of Prophet
Muhammad”. In this article, Dr. Malik canvasses the
life of Prophet Muhammad, and provides a narrative
much different from what many non-Muslims are familiar. In doing so, Dr. Malik highlights important events in
Prophet Muhammad’s life and responds to common criticisms made against Prophet Muhammad.]
Who then is this man whom the Encyclopedia
Britannica calls “the most successful of all religious
reformers?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad was born in 570AD in
the town of Mecca situated in the territory known as the
Hijaz. The people of this area claimed descent from the
Prophet Abraham through his first son Ishmael. In the
Old Testament the Arabs are described as being
descended from Kedar, a son of Ishmael. Situated in
Mecca is a cubic building known as the Kaaba which is
closely associated with the Prophet Abraham, Ishmael
and Hagar.
The social, moral and ethical conditions prevailing in
Arabia at the time of the Holy Prophet’s birth were, to
put it mildly, terrible. Arabia was divided into warring
clans and tribes whose internecine wars fueled by blood
feuds had been ongoing for centuries, and the weaker,
smaller tribes were constantly at the mercy of the more
populous and stronger tribes. As a measure for survival,
tribal pacts were frequently resorted to, but were broken
at the first opportunity, if it afforded some advantage to
either party.
There was no central authority to dispense justice and
maintain law and order, and unless the under privileged
such as women, orphans, slaves and the poor were under
the protection of some powerful individual or clan, their
rights and properties could be usurped at will. The plight
of women was especially bad. Female infanticide was
resorted to by the upper class in whose twisted view of
women, the birth of a daughter was a disgrace. Women
had no inheritance rights and in fact were inherited
themselves as chattel. Prominent men kept brothels as a
business, and there were no limits to polygamy. Sexual
relations were loose to the extreme and both men and
women boasted openly and shamelessly about their
illicit affairs. Among other social ills the Arabs were
addicted to alcohol and gambling.
Their religion was steeped in idolatry and superstition. Each home had its idols, and even unhewn stones
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were worshipped. Efforts to promote reform in the
region by previous religions had been entirely unsuccessful. An indigenous movement to introduce
monotheism had been started, but had died out due to
lack of support.
These social evils were particularly pronounced in
the town of Mecca. It was home to the Quraish — the
Holy Prophet’s tribe — feared and respected for its military prowess and guardianship of the Holy Kabaa. The
Quraish had benefitted greatly by trade with the Roman
Empire and with tribes that gathered at Mecca for the
annual pilgrimage. This trade had produced an oligarchy fond of pomp and show. As a consequence, the
old tribal customs which previously had provided some
protection to the lesser members of the tribe had completely broken down with resulting class differences
and increasing mistreatment of the poor and slaves. The
Holy Quran, which is the written record of that time,
depicts the situation tersely in 3:103 as:
“… And you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then
He saved you from it…”
Birth of the Holy Prophet and Early Life
It was among these people that the Holy Prophet
Muhammad was born in 570 AD. He was orphaned at
the tender age of six, and was raised first by his doting
grandfather, Abu Muttalib, who died three years later,
and then by his paternal uncle Abu Talib who succeeded
Abu Muttalib as the head of the prophet’s clan, the Banu
Hashim.
As he grew up, he acquired a reputation for being honest, just, truthful and faithful to his promises. He was
known for helping the poor and disadvantaged — such as
slaves, orphans and widows. When he was 20 years old
he played a major role in forming an alliance of likeminded people to defend the poor and injured called
Half-ul-Fadl. Because of these commendable qualities he
became known as Al-Amin (the Righteous) and his advice
was sought in many matters. He believed strongly in
monotheism, and never bowed his head before any idol.
Drinking orgies, gambling and illicit social relations
were widespread and carried no social stigma, but he
abstained from such activities, and remained celibate
until his marriage to Hazrat Khadija.
Although fighting among tribes was common, as a
young man the prophet did not take part in any battle
except for the battle Harb-ul-Fijar in which his only role
was to gather the arrows which came from the opposite
side and hand them over to his uncles.
He was not acquisitive of wealth, but when he
attained to maturity he was asked by his uncle to help
him in the caravan trade with Syria, and he cheerfully
acceded to this request.
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Marriage to Hazrat Khadija
At the age of twenty five he married Hazrat Khadija, a
well-to-do widow who was fifteen years his senior and
was known for her righteousness and virtue. Hearing
about the prophet Muhammad’s integrity and honesty
she entrusted her business to him and soon much profit
accrued to her. Impressed by his honest dealings and
diligence, she proposed marriage to him, and he accepted.
It is remarkable that although the Holy Prophet lived
in a polygamous society, he not take any other wife
besides Hazrat Khadija while she was alive. His high
regard and affection for Hazrat Khadija is demonstrated
in his response to a rather pert question put to him by
Hazrat Ayesha whom he married after Hazrat Khadija’s
death, that hadn’t God given him a better substitute in
herself than Hazrat Khadija. His eyes welled up with
tears and he said “No. She believed in me when other’s
rejected me, and she spent all she had in my cause.”
Prophetic Mission
Although the Prophet was doing well financially after
his marriage to Hazrat Khadija, the plight of the poor
and weak — such as slaves, widows and orphans —
their exploitation and persecution by the rich and powerful and the idolatrous practices and gross immorality
of society weighed heavily on the prophet’s heart. He
always helped the poor and disadvantaged and he never
kept a slave. When any slave was presented to him he
immediately set him free. One of these young slaves,
Hazrat Zaid, whom he liberated, became so attached to
him due to his kind and loving nature that he stayed on
with him as a member of his household.
Saddened and grieved by these inequities he would
regularly retire to the mountains surrounding Mecca
where he would tearfully pray to God and plead with
Him to guide the Meccans to abandon their evil ways
and lead righteous lives.
It was during one of these sessions of prayer and fasting in the last days of the month of Ramadan in the cave
of Hira that he received the revelation that initiated his
prophetic mission.
“Read in the Name of thy Lord who creates Creates Creates man from a clot/attachment/love
Read and thy Lord is most Generous,
Who taught by the pen,
Taught man what he knew not.” (96:1-5)
His wife Hazrat Khadija was the first to accept him
as Prophet followed by Hazrat Ali and his closest friend
Hazrat Abu Bakr. This acceptance by his wife and closest relations and friends and their fidelity to him in all
circumstances is strong evidence of his sincerity and the
truth of his mission.
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
The Holy Quran would be revealed over the next
twenty three years of the prophet’s life. The teachings of
the Quran and the personification of these teachings
through the conduct of the Holy Prophet would in that
space of twenty three years completely transform
Arabian society. Never before in history have so many
people been reformed so thoroughly, on so large a scale
and in so short a time as that by the Holy Quran and the
Holy Prophet Muhammad.
The importance of the Holy Quran as a documentary
source of the Holy Prophet’s conduct and character cannot be overestimated. First, Muslims believe it is the
Word of God, and secondly, it is the only written record
of the time. The Holy Prophet always had ink, writing
material and a scribe with him and the Quranic verses
were written as soon as they were revealed. Their accuracy was not only preserved by writing them immediately at the time of revelation, but they were also memorized at the same time by hundreds of companions of the
Holy Prophet and frequently recited in congregational
prayers thus ensuring their accuracy. Furthermore it was
revealed over a period of twenty three years concerning
matters which the Holy Prophet was facing in specific
situations. Thus the Holy Prophet himself demonstrated
the manner and spirit in which the Quranic guidance was
to be followed. There is not a single commandment of
the Holy Quran which he failed to follow.
The Stormy Opposition
His early revelations of the Holy Quran stressed the
Unity, the great power and majesty of the Divine Being
and the inevitability of the judgment. The Quraish
mocked him at first, treated him contemptuously and
called him a madman. In spite of this opposition, he
went on gaining adherents slowly, and the persecution
grew bitter. At first the slaves were tortured as in the
case of Hazrat Bilal, who, when made to lie on the burning sands under the Arabian midday sun with heavy
stones on his chest continued to cry, “One, One” (in reference to the belief in One God), to the bewilderment of
his persecutors. Later, the torture and mistreatment
increased in severity with some of the humbler converts
being put to death in a most brutal manner; their limbs
were tied to camels which were then made to run in
opposite directions — tearing the victims apart. They
were given the choice to avoid the punishment by
recanting Islam, but they refused to do so.
This brutal and cruel treatment of his innocent and
helpless followers greatly distressed the Prophet, and he
advised them to seek shelter in Abyssinia, a Christian
country, in spite of the fact that he would be left alone
amongst his exasperated opponents. The infuriated
Meccans sent a deputation to the Negus, ruler of
Abyssinia, requesting that he extradite the Muslims to
Mecca. But the Negus was so moved after listening to
an explanation of Islam by the leader of the Muslims
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9
and by a recitation from the Holy Quran, that he refused
to deliver the Muslims to their enemies.
The Quraish tried their utmost to check this tide of
emigration, but in vain. Soon they became exasperated
beyond all measure with the Prophet and the little band
of Muslims that remained with him at Mecca. They
approached Abu Talib, the head of the Hashimites (the
Prophet’s family), to hand the Prophet over to them so
they could kill him. But Abu Talib refused, and praised
the Prophet as a defender of widows and orphans. This
attempt was abandoned when Abu Talib conveyed the
Prophet’s reply to them: “Even if they put the sun in my
right hand and the moon in my left, I will never give it
up until it pleases God to make it triumph or I perish in
my attempt.“
Failing that, they decided on a different tactic and tried
to tempt the Prophet with offers of wealth, power and
beautiful women to abandon his faith. These attempts
however ceased when they received this answer:
“I want neither wealth nor power. I have been
commissioned by God as a warner to mankind. I
deliver his message to you. Should you accept it
you shall have felicity in this life as well as in the
life to come; should you reject the Word of God,
surely God will decide between you and me.”
The Meccans made life as miserable for the Holy
Prophet as they could. Sometimes they would throw
refuse on him from above as he walked in the streets
below; other times thorny bushes would be strewn in his
path at night so he might become entangled in them.
Once a whole placenta of a camel was placed on his
back while he was in prostration in prayer. At another
time he was being strangled by his cloak when Hazrat
Abu Bakr intervened and saved him.
The main source of income and wealth for the
Meccans was by trading with the Bedouin tribes who
came to Mecca during the time of the Pilgrimage. Each
tribe had its own idols placed in the Kabah. The message of Islam called for a strict monotheism and eradication of these idolatrous practices. Fearing the loss of
this livelihood, the Meccans redoubled their efforts to
eradicate Islam.
At this point, they resorted to force and formed a
league and confined the Hashimites and the Muslims in
a small quarter of the valley, where they suffered the
utmost privations for three long years, being allowed
liberty of action only during the time of pilgrimage.
These three years were those of the hardest suffering for
the Muslims, and Islam itself made little progress during this time.
Released at last from this imprisonment, the Prophet
faced more tragedy. Hazrat Khadija his dear wife for
twenty five years and his beloved Uncle Abu Talib both
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died, weakened no doubt by the long periods of starvation and exposure suffered during the confinement.
Though facing disappointment on all sides, the Prophet
still had as much faith in the triumph of the truth as ever.
If Mecca was now quite deaf to his preaching, he would
turn elsewhere. He went to Ta‘if a nearby town, but after
ten days was unsuccessful in convincing the people of
Taif. As he walked back to Mecca he was set upon by the
town’s urchins who pelted him with stones. Dripping
with blood and not even being allowed to rest by his persecutors, he found refuge in a garden. But if men did not
listen to him, yet would he open his heart to God who
was always ready to listen, and he prayed to Him thus:
“O my God! To Thee I complain of the feebleness
of my strength and of my lack of resourcefulness
and of my insignificance in the eyes of people.
Thou art the most Merciful of the merciful, Thou
art the Lord of the weak. To whom wilt Thou
entrust me, to an unsympathetic foe who would
sullenly frown at me, or to a close friend to whom
Thou has given control over my affair? Not in the
least do I care for anything except that I may have
Thy protection. In the light of Thy face do I seek
shelter, in the light which illumines the heaven
and dispels all sorts of darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the
Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Thy
wrath, or that Thou shouldst be displeased with
me. There is no strength, nor power, but in Thee.”
He feels that no man lends his ear to his message, yet
his faith in the goodness of God and in the ultimate triumph of his cause is as unshaken as ever. With marvelous
calmness he undergoes the severest hardships which he
has to suffer for working for the good of the very people
who take pleasure in inflicting on him the cruelest tortures. All these, he says, are insignificant so long as he
enjoys the pleasure of God. What a firm faith in God, and
what a cheerful resignation to His supreme Will.
Three more years passed at Mecca amidst the most
trying circumstances. Meanwhile, Islam took root in
Medina and spread fast. As the 13th year of the Call
drew to a close, a very important event occurred.
Seventy five Muslims (including two women) from
Medina (yathrib) came to perform a pilgrimage and
swore allegiance to the Prophet, affirming that if he
chose to go to Medina, they would defend him against
his enemies just as they defended their own families. It
was then that the Muslim exodus to Medina commenced. The Prophet chose to remain alone amidst an
enemy that was growing more and more exasperated, to
ensure that his followers reached Medina safely.
A final plan to kill the Prophet was devised in which
a youth would be chosen from each clan and they would
kill him by simultaneously thrusting their swords in
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him. This would force the Prophet’s clan to accept
blood money as they could not fight the united clans of
the Quraish. The Prophet’s house was besieged by these
bloodthirsty youth as soon as it was dark, but, undaunted and having his faith in Divine protection, the Prophet
passed through them unnoticed. In the dark of the night,
with only one companion, he made his way through the
streets of Mecca to the bare and rugged hills outside,
and a hiding-place was ultimately found in a cave
known as Thaur. When morning appeared, the enemy
saw the failure of their plan and the whole countryside
was scoured. One party reached the very mouth of the
cave. Through a crevice, Abu Bakr saw the enemy at the
mouth and grieved. “Do not grieve, for God is with us,”
said the Prophet. The more helpless he became, the
stronger grew his faith in God. And surely some invisible power saved him throughout his life every time that
the enemy’s hand was on him. After three days the
Prophet and his companion resumed their journey and
reached Medina on june 22nd, 622AD. The Muslim calendar begins with this date.
For thirteen years the Prophet and his followers had
been subjected to the severest tortures and all sorts of
cruelties and abuse — both physical and mental. But
these cruelties did not embitter the prophet or his companions or result in any hatred for their oppressors. The
Holy Prophet and his companions bore this persecution
with exemplary patience. He never cursed his oppressors or asked God to punish them. Instead he was
always praying to God to forgive them and guide them
on the right path. No acts of violence or revenge were
directed against their persecutors. One small but significant incident reveals the mindset of the Prophet. There
was one old women who would regularly throw trash on
him when he walked in the street below. One day when
no trash was thrown on him, he straightaway went
upstairs to inquire about the woman. He found her ill in
bed without food and drink and unable to move. He visited her daily and nursed her back to health. Impressed
by his kindness she subsequently accepted Islam.
All the properties left behind by the fleeing Muslims
were expropriated by the Quraish, but no attempt to
retrieve them were made by the Muslims.
This struggle — to control one’s lower desires and
anger and to cultivate high morals such as forgiveness,
mercy and patience — is called the “greater jihad” in the
prophet’s own words. Contrary to popular understanding,
the word jihad does not mean fighting or war. It means
to exert oneself to the utmost to counter some object of
disapprobation. The word for fighting or war is quital.
The word jihad is frequently present in Quranic verses
revealed during the Meccan period where it denotes a
spiritual striving only as there was no fighting during the
time the Holy Prophet was in Mecca. The following
Meccan verses in the Holy Quran illustrate this point:
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
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11
“…those who strive hard (jahadu) for Us, We
shall certainly guide them in Our ways. And Allah
is surely with the doers of good” [29:69].
preach this religion; to deliver the message, not to
enforce it on others as it states in the Holy Quran.
“Obey not the unbelievers, and strive against them
a mighty striving (jihad) with it.” [i.e., the Quran]
[25:52].
“We have shown man the way, he may be thankful
or he may be unthankful.” [76:3]
In this verse it means a spiritual struggle for selfpurification. And again
Here it means preaching with the Quran to guide
them to the right path.
Thus for the greater part of the Prophet’s mission,
i.e., the thirteen years he spent in Mecca, “Jihad” meant
only spiritual struggle for self- purification, or preaching with the Holy Quran. Later on, fighting in selfdefense would be included in this category of struggle
in the eight years in Medina but only in certain special
circumstances — but the original significance as a spiritual struggle would be applicable at all times.
The Madina Period
Despite migrating away from Mecca and leaving all
their property behind simply to be safe from persecution, the growing jealousy and the threatening attitude
of the Meccans continued to be a serious problem.
Immediately after the migration of the Holy Prophet to
Madina, the Quraish chiefs wrote to Abdullah ibn
Ubbay the leading person in Madina, before the Holy
Prophet was acclaimed as the leader, threatening him
with dire consequences if he did not hand over
Muhammad to them. Marauding parties of the Quraish
used to come to the outskirts of Madina and once even
made off with the state camels.
Reconnaissance parties were sent out by the Prophet
to monitor the enemy’s movements and certain tribes
were approached to secure their alliance or neutrality.
One such party sent out with express orders to gather
information about the Quraish without engaging them
in battle, movements killed a man. The Holy Prophet
severely reprimanded the reconnaissance party’s leader
and offered compensation for the killing which was customary in such situations. However the Meccans rejected his offer and made preparations for war.
The Prophet was now in a position in which he would
have to carry on a war against a powerful and implacable
enemy to save the small Muslim community and Islam
from utter annihilation. Temperamentally the Prophet
was not inclined to war; he had not once handled the
sword in actual fighting up to this, his 55th year, and this
in a country where, owing to constant internecine warfare, fighting had become a vocation of the people. The
religion which he preached, Islam, (lit. peace or submission), was a religion of peace, laying stress on prayer to
God and the service of humanity, and he was required to
“The truth is from your Lord, so, whoever will, let
him believe, and whoever will, let him disbelieve.” [18:29]
And in still plainer words, it was laid down:
“There is no compulsion in religion”. [2:256]
But war was being forced on him and it was his duty,
he was told, to defend his oppressed community who
had twice fled their homes from the persecutions of a
cruel enemy to a distant place and permission to fight
was given in the Holy Quran:
“Permission to fight is given to those upon whom
war is made because they are oppressed, and God
is well able to help them”. [22:39]
“Those who have been expelled from their homes
without a just cause, except that they say,” Our
Lord is God.” [22:40]
To worship God, to say that God is our Lord, to bow
before Him, was an offence in this land, the punishment
for which was that the men who worshipped God, and the
places where He was worshipped, should be destroyed. So
the Muslims were required to defend all houses of worship, whether they belonged to the jews or the Christians
or their own community as it states in the Holy Quran:
“And had there not been God’s repelling some people by means of others, cloisters and churches and
synagogues and mosques in which God’s name is
much remembered, would certainly have been
pulled down.” [22:40]
That war can only be only in self-defense is stressed
again in a Quranic verse:
“And fight in the way of God with those who fight
with you, and do not be aggressive, for God does
not love the aggressors.” [2:190]
There was no question of converting anyone to Islam
by force; it was the enemy that wanted to turn back the
Muslims by force from Islam:
“And they will not cease fighting with you until
they turn you back from your religion if they can.”
[2:217]
Religion was a matter between God and His servants
and no one had a right to compel anyone to adopt a particular religion, and the Prophet had thus to fight for the
noble cause of the liberty of man:
“And fight with them until there is no persecution
and religion is held for God only. But if they give
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up persecution, then there should be no hostility
except against the oppressors.” [2:193]
If the Prophet was required to cease fighting when
the enemy ceased to persecute on account of religion, he
was also required to cease fighting if the enemy offered
peace, even though the enemy might be gaining time
only to renew its attack:
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JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
twenty five iron-clad men and cavalry was a time of
great consternation for the two thousand Muslims
defending Madina as described by the Holy Quran.
“When they came upon you from above you and
from below you, and when the eyes turned dull
and the hearts rose up to the throats, and some of
you began to entertain diverse thoughts about
God. There the believers were sorely tried and
shaken with a severe shaking.” [33:10, 11]
“And if they incline to peace, do thou also incline
to it and trust in God; He is the Hearing, the
Knowing. And if they intend to deceive thee, then
surely God is sufficient for thee.” [8:61, 62]
However, even amid this seeming scene of dread and
terror, the hearts of the Muslims were full of faith:
Battles
Three battles would be fought in the second, third and
fifth year of the migration to Madina, and in all three the
Muslims were defending themselves from Meccan
attacks.
The Muslims had dug a deep ditch in the area which
was most vulnerable to attack, and that effectively neutralized the Meccan cavalry. The siege continued for a
month with numerous attacks being made and repulsed.
Finally a violent storm blew down the tents of the now
dispirited allied force and the attack was abandoned.
It was in these circumstances and on these conditions
that the Prophet was allowed to fight. He had not up to
this time trained a single man for fighting; he had no
army at all. He had a small community of followers
trained only in praying to God, and even they could not
be forced to fight.
The first battle would be the Battle of Badr: in which
three hundred and thirteen poorly equipped Muslims
including old men and boys as young as fourteen, faced
one thousand fully armed and equipped battle-hardened
Meccan warriors. Badr is a seven day march from
Mecca and a three day march from Madina. Showing
that the Prophet moved only when the Meccan army
was closing in on Madina. With the help of God the
Meccans were defeated and some were taken prisoners.
The second battle, the Battle of Uhud took place a
year later when the Meccans attacked Madina with a
force of three thousand veteran soldiers and two hundred
cavalry to avenge their defeat at Badr. The Muslims
could muster only seven hundred men and two horses.
Although not defeated, the Muslims did suffer increased
casualties due to some Muslim archers leaving their
positions to join the Muslims on the battle field contrary
to instructions. Seventy Muslims were killed and the
Prophet was badly wounded. At this very critical
moment, a companion asked the Prophet to invoke the
curse of God on the enemy, but his response was to pray
“O my Lord forgive them for they do not know what
they do.” Meccans mutilated the dead in terrible ways.
Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan the Meccan leader, tore
out the liver of the Holy Prophet’s beloved uncle Hamza
and chewed it in front of the Muslim army.
Two years later, in a final determined bid to crush the
Muslims, the Meccans roused the surrounding Arabian
tribes to join them and launched an attack on Madina
with a combined force of twenty five men. This sight of
“And when the believers saw the Allies, they said:
This is what God and His Messenger promised us,
and God and His Messenger spoke the truth: and
it only increased them in faith and submission.”
[33:22]
The next year a very important event took place —
the Prophet signed a peace pact in accordance with the
Quranic injunction:
“And if they incline to peace, do thou also incline
to it and trust in God Allah; He is the Hearing, the
Knowing. And if they intend to deceive thee, then
surely God Allah is sufficient for thee. “[8:61, 62]
This pact, signed with the Meccans at a place called
Hudaibiya, contained some very humiliating terms for
the Muslims, but it had that most important clause that
fighting would cease for ten years.
In the Holy Quran this humiliating truce is called a
great victory. And a victory it was. Muslims were now
able to practice their religion freely and share their faith
with others. And, tribal delegations could come to
Madina and see for themselves the spiritual greatness of
the Prophet, and the change for good that Islam and his
personal example had produced among the Muslims
who not too long ago were immersed in error and sin
just as they were.
Hardly two years had passed when the Meccans
broke the truce by killing some men of a tribe allied
with the Muslims. The Prophet offered them the option
of paying compensation to the aggrieved tribe, thereby
avoiding war, but the Meccans refused and revoked the
truce. The Prophet then had no option but to take action
to support the ally tribe. This time he was the one who
marched on Mecca with ten thousand soldiers. A scant
two years ago the Muslim army numbered two thousand
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
men. Where had the additional eight thousand come
from? These were the people who had converted to
Islam peacefully during the two years of the truce. The
Meccans surrendered before this overwhelming force.
The Prophet’s example of forgiveness and tolerance
after the fall of Mecca has no parallel in history. The
murderers, tormentors and persecutors of his beloved
Muslims — for more than twenty years — stood helpless and penitent before him. A lesser man would have
yielded to the desire for revenge. But they were standing
before one who had in the Holy Quran been called a
“Mercy to the nations”. The Prophet declared to the
Meccans in the words of the prophet joseph to his brothers: “This day there is no reproof against you.” [12:92].
The man who had caused the death of the Prophet’s
daughter and her unborn child by ramming her with the
blunt end of his spear was forgiven. Hind, who had targeted his beloved uncle Hazrat Hamza and mutilated his
body and chewed his liver was forgiven, as were many
others such as the Meccan chief Abu Sufyan who had led
the opposition to the Muslims for two decades and had
caused so much loss of life and property to the Muslims.
They had not accepted Islam, but mark the magnanimity of that great soul who would not even reproach
them for their evil deeds, who let them go without even
taking a pledge from them for the future. Here was a
practical proof of that laudable precept, Love thine
enemy. Not only was Mecca conquered, but with it were
conquered also the hearts of the bitterest foes of Islam.
They now saw with their own eyes how the combined
forces of opposition offered by the whole country had
proved an utter failure against the mighty truth which
came from the lips of a man who had stood alone in the
midst of all opposition. The righteousness of the cause
was now only too clear to them and men and women
came forward spontaneously to embrace the faith. There
was not a single instance of forced conversion.
The only one action the Prophet undertook was to
clear the Kabah of idols, as a symbolic gesture of the
confirmation of true monotheism. Although, each
Meccan house had idols in them, these were left
untouched. Nor was any attempt by the Muslims to
retrieve their property left behind at the time of migration.
Those that still adhered to the old religion were treated
in the same spirit of friendliness as the members of the
Muslim brotherhood. Even a hostile critic has to admit:
“Although the city had cheerfully accepted his
authority, all its inhabitants had not yet embraced
the new religion nor formally acknowledged his
prophetical claim. Perhaps he intended to follow
the course he had pursued at Madina and leave the
conversion of the people to be gradually accom-
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13
plished without compulsion”. (Life of Mohamat
by Sir William Muir)
The Prophet’s conduct during the entire period of
fighting was exemplary. Here is but one example of the
orders issued by the prophet to the Muslim army:
“…molest not the harmless occupants of houses
nor the females; injure not the infant at the breast
or those who are ill in bed. Abstain from demolishing the dwellings of the unresisting inhabitants;
destroy not the means of their subsistence, nor
their fruit trees, and touch not the palms.”
It was forbidden to kill non-fighting personnel such
as laborers working on the battlefield or women.
Prisoners of war were not to be killed or harmed in
anyway. Prisoners taken at the battle of Badr who were
literate were freed on the condition that each would
teach 10 Muslim children to read and write. This
showed the Prophet’s high regard for knowledge.
The prisoners were housed in the houses of Muslims
who gave them food but went hungry themselves. Later
when these Meccans became Muslims they would site
these instances as the reason for their converting to
Islam.
The treaty with the Christian tribes of Najran is again
an example of what religious tolerance should be like.
This treaty was made with people who had rejected The
Prophet Muhammad:
“To the Christians of Najran and the surrounding
territories, the security of God and the pledge of
His Prophet are extended for their lives, their religion and their property — to the present as well as
the absent and others besides — there shall be no
interference with the practice or their observances; nor any change in their rights or privileges; No
bishop shall be removed from his bishopric, nor
any monk from his monastery, nor any priest from
his priesthood, and they shall continue to enjoy
everything, great and small as heretofore; No
image or cross shall be destroyed. They shall not
oppress or be oppressed; they shall not practise
the rights of blood vengeance as in the days of
ignorance; No tithes shall be levied from them nor
shall they be required to furnish provisions for the
troops.”
With the fall of Mecca, war with non-Muslims came
to an end except for isolated actions against some
marauding tribes who would repeatedly break treaties
and conduct raids on a peaceful population. The Holy
Quran clearly states their repeated violations of the
truces and committing crimes as the reason for fighting
them and that punishment should be directed towards
the leaders.
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THE LIGHT AND ISLAMIC REVIEW
Arabia was now free from trouble within, but the
Roman Empire to the north was alarmed at the rise of
Islam and had begun to help their vassal tribes on the
northern frontier of Arabia.
When intelligence reports reached the Prophet that the
Romans were preparing to attack from the north, He
marched to Tabuk on the northern frontier at the head of
30,000 men. But on not finding any opposing army he
turned back — observing the Quranic injunction of fighting only in self-defense. This conclusively proves that the
Prophet’s wars were defensive. Attacking the undefended
territories would have been very tempting for someone
fighting for territorial expansion and material gain.
The Prophet’s Marriages
The Prophet is sometimes called sinful because at a certain stage in his life he had more wives than one. This is
also cited as proof that he had no regard for women’s
rights. Whatever may be the views of the modern world
on polygamy, there is not the least doubt that plurality
of wives is met with in the lives of the great religious
personages who by a consensus of opinion led lives of
transcendent purity such as Abraham, Moses and
revered Hindu sages. The details of the lives of these
personages are sketchy, but the life of the Prophet can
be viewed in the full light of history and we will take his
case in detail.
Probably no single person has done more for alleviating the lot of women and granting them basic rights
than the Holy Prophet. In the years before he was made
a prophet, he championed the cause of widows,
orphans, slaves and the poor for which he won the title
Al-Amin (The faithful one).
After he was appointed Prophet, he abolished female
infanticide and raised women to complete equality with
men through the teachings of the Holy Quran.
“Surely the men who submit and the women who
submit, and the believing men and the believing
women, and the obeying men and the obeying
women, and the truthful men and the truthful
women, and the patient men and the patient
women, and the humble men and the humble
women, and the charitable men and the charitable
women, and the fasting men and the fasting
women, and the men who guard their chastity and
the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and women who remember —
Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a
mighty reward.” [33:35]
In the Holy Quran both Adam and Eve are described
as having an equal propensity to sin. The relationship
between women and men is portrayed beautifully as
garments which protect and beautify each other. God is
described as having placed love and compassion
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JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
between them so they find peace and quiet of mind in
each other. Women are granted inheritance rights in a
society which said “only he can inherit who can smite
with the sword and spear”. They cannot be married
without their consent, and they have the right of
divorce. Women are allowed to work with equal pay for
equal work, and they have exclusive rights to their earnings and investments. Both men and women have mutual rights and duties. Men are taught to serve their mothers more than their fathers, and paradise is described as
being under the feet of a mother.
This change was brought about in a span of twenty
three years in a society which practiced female infanticide and regarded women as chattel that could be inherited. Muslim women have had these rights since the
seventh century which we see coming to fruition in
modern society only a scant hundred year ago. The
granting of these rights to women speaks volumes about
the high regard the man who implemented these
changes had for women.
Let us now consider the circumstances in which the
Prophet married more than one wife. The Prophet led a
celibate life until the age of twenty five. Then he married a widow fifteen years his senior and remained
faithful to her in a monogamous relationship — in a
polygamous society — until her death twenty five years
later when he was fifty years old. Surely such a man
cannot be said to have sensual nature. The model for a
Muslim man therefore is celibacy before marriage and
then monogamy with faithfulness during marriage.
The multiple marriages were contracted during the
period of wars which followed in Madina when he was
fifty five years old. In the battles a large number of men
were killed and many families were left without a bread
earner. But bread and butter were not the only provision
needed in such cases. Physical and emotional needs
have to be met, and children need a father figure in the
family for proper development. A reformer with whom
morals were all important could not content himself
with making provision merely for the maintenance of
the widows. The other needs also needed to be met.
Men were reluctant to marry widows as that entailed
responsibilities in the form of having to take care of the
widow’s children. Permission was then given to marry
up-to four wives provided one could maintain justice
among them. All but one of the women that the Prophet
married were older women, either widowed or
divorced. Some of these marriages brought about peace
with an enemy tribe. After the war stopped in the eighth
year he did not contract any additional marriages. So the
additional marriages were not for satisfaction of low
desires but rather for the care and protection of women
and orphans.
As Bosworth Smith notes:
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
“It would be remembered, however, that most of
Muhammad’s marriages may be explained at least
as much by his pity for the forlorn condition of the
persons concerned, as by other motives. They
were almost all of them widows who were not
remarkable either for their beauty or their wealth,
but quite the reverse.”
There is a great misconception about Hazrat
Ayesha’s age at the time of her marriage to the Holy
Prophet. She is described in some hadith reports as
being nine years old when she married the Holy Prophet
Muhammad. However a careful analysis of the Holy
Quran, the Hadith (Sayings and doings of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad) and historical incidents all establish that she was 19 years old at the time of her marriage
to the Holy Prophet. She was extremely intelligent and
had a very retentive memory. Both Hazrat Abu Bakr and
the Holy Prophet recognized her potential for transmitting first-hand the knowledge of the Holy Prophet’s life.
She was able to learn directly from the Holy Prophet
and transmit these details of his life to others for many
years after his death. The importance of this knowledge
can be gauged by the fact that a large portion of the
Shariah of Islam is derived from hadith transmitted by
Hazrat Ayesha.
Simple life
From the cradle to the grave the Prophet passed through
a diversity of circumstances — diversity which can
hardly be met with in the life of a single man. Orphan
hood is the extreme of helplessness, while kingship is
the height of power. From being an orphan he climbed to
the summit of royal glory, but that did not bring about
the slightest change in his way of living. He lived on
exactly the same kind of humble food, wore the same
simple dress, and in all particulars lived the same simple
life as he lived as when he was an orphan. It is hard to
give up the kingly throne and lead the life of a hermit,
but it is harder still that one should wield the royal
scepter yet at the same time lead a hermit’s life, that one
should possess power and wealth yet spend it solely to
promote the welfare of others, that one should always
have the most alluring attractions before one’s eyes yet
should never for one moment be captivated by them.
When the Prophet actually became the ruler of a state,
the furniture of his house was composed of a coarse matting of palm leaves for his bed and an earthen jug for
water. For days no fire would be lighted in his house to
prepare food, the whole family living on mere dates.
There was no lack of means to live a life of ease and
comfort. The public treasury was at his disposal. The
well-to-do among his followers, who did not shrink from
sacrificing their lives for his sake, would have been only
too glad to provide him with every comfort of life,
should he choose to avail himself of it. But worldly
things carried little weight in his estimation. No mun-
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THE LIGHT AND ISLAMIC REVIEW
15
dane craving could ever prevail over him, neither in
times of indigence nor of plenty. just as he spurned
wealth, power and beauty which the Quraish offered him
when he was yet in a state of utmost helplessness, so did
he remain indifferent to them when God granted him all
these things out of His grace. As Bosworth Smith says:
“In the shepherd of the desert, in the Syrian trader,
in the solitary of Mount Hira, in the reformer in
the minority of one, in the exile of Madina, in the
acknowledged conqueror, in the equal of the
Persian Chosroes and the Greek Heraclius, we can
still trace a substantial unity. I doubt whether any
other man, whose external conditions changed so
much, ever himself changed less to meet them: the
accidents are changed, the essence seems to me to
be the same in all.”
Charity
He was the most generous of men. He gave freely to the
poor, so much so that provisions would run out and his
family had no food left in the house. On a national level
he instituted the zakat (poor rate) as enjoined by the
Holy Quran thus effectively ending hunger and starvation in society.
Prayer
Prayer to God was the love of his life, and he would
spend half or two thirds of the night in prayer.
He disliked pretensions. Visitors had to ask which
person was Muhammad when he was seated among his
companions. Truthfulness was his hallmark. He disliked
superstitions. When a solar eclipse occurred when his
infant son died, rumors spread that the eclipse was due
to the son’s death. He at once came out of his house and
said “eclipses of the sun and the moon are not due to
anyone’s birth or death. They are one of the signs of
God”.
“When asked to perform physical miracles he was
instructed by the Holy Quran to say “I am only a
mortal messenger…”
The Holy Quran is the only Miracle he claimed. And
a Miracle indeed it was for the change it produced in
men.
Words alone are not enough to bring about a change
in the character of people on so large a scale. A role
model or exemplar is needed who can transform the
words into deeds, because people are motivated to
change for good by the deeds of others. For example, it
was not only the Prophet who forgave the Meccans at
the time of the conquest of Mecca, but his companions
and followers also forgave — as their relations and
those close to them had also been persecuted and killed
by the Meccans. They forgave because the Prophet forgave. Similarly people will heed advice to be truthful
16
THE LIGHT AND ISLAMIC REVIEW
only if the person who gives them that advice is himself
truthful. This is true for every virtue.
No faith ever imparted such a new life to its votaries
on such a wide scale — a life affecting all branches of
human activity; a transformation of the individual, of
the family, of the society, of the nation, of the country;
an awakening material as well as moral, intellectual as
well as spiritual. The Quran effected a transformation of
humanity from the lowest depths of degradation to the
highest pinnacle of civilization within an incredibly
short time where centuries of reformation work had
proved fruitless.
This achievement would not be possible without the
person of the Prophet, as the historian Bosworth Smith,
referring to the central role of the Holy Prophet says:
“He was Caesar and Pope in one … Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing
army, without a bodyguard, without a palace,
without a fixed revenue; if ever any man had the
right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was
Mohammed, for he had all the power without its
instruments and without its supports. He cared not
for the dressings of power. The simplicity of his
private life was in keeping with his public life.”
Hence the verses of the Holy Quran:
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of God an
excellent exemplar for him who hopes in God and
the latter day, and remembers God much “.
[33:21]
“And We have not sent thee but as a mercy to the
nations.” [21: 107]
On his final pilgrimage the prophet received the revelation “…This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour to you and chosen for
you Islam as a religion…” The Prophet knew that his
mission was complete and his time was near. After his
return from the pilgrimage, the Prophet fell ill and
passed away on june 8, 632 AD at the age of 63 years.
His last words were:
“Blessed companionship on High.”
This is a true portrait of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad. And it is the emulation of this example
which Muslims believe will benefit mankind and bring
about peace in the world. And when the deeds of
Muslims show the impression of this portrait of
Muhammad, only then can they claim to be truly honoring the Prophet. ■
■
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
Significance of the Name
“Ahmadiyya”
By Dr. Mohammed Ahmad
[This article by Dr. Mohammed Ahmad was the concluding presentation at the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic
Society’s annual symposium this year, titled “The True
Portrait of Prophet Muhammad”. In this article, Dr.
Ahmad explains that the name “Ahmadiyya” given to the
Islamic Movement formed by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad is based on Prophet Muhammad’s other name
“Ahmad”, and that those who join this Movement strive
to present the true, peaceful and beautiful character of
Prophet Muhammad to the world through education and
by personal conduct.]
Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for sharing your time
with us, today. I begin in the name of Allah, the
Beneficent the Merciful. In order to understand the
meaning of the name “Ahmadiyya” and the purpose of
our organization, the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, I
would like to draw your attention to this verse of the
Holy Quran.
“And when jesus, son of Mary, said: O children of
Israel, surely I am the messenger of God to you,
verifying that which is before me of the Torah and
giving the good news of a Messenger who will
come after me, his name being Ahmad. But when
he came to them with clear arguments, they said:
This is clear enchantment.” (61:6)
In this verse, Prophet jesus gives the good news of
the advent of a prophet after him, whose name would be
“Ahmad”.
It is a well-known fact of history, that the Holy
Prophet Muhammad was known by two names,
Muhammad and Ahmad. The famous Arabian poet
Hassan-ibn-Thabit mentions the Prophet in one of his
verses by the name “Ahmad”: ˝Sall Allåhu wa man
yahuffu bi-‘arsh-hi wa-l-Tayyibuna ‘ala-mubåraki
Ahmad”, meaning Allah blesses the blessed Ahmad and
so do those who go round about His Throne of Majesty
and all pure ones.
These names and the various prophecies about the
Holy Prophet refer to the different phases of his life.
The two aspects of the life of the Holy Prophet are jalal
and jamal, i.e., an aspect of glory and an aspect of beauty, the first finding its manifestation in the name
Muhammad and the second in Ahmad. Both of the great
prophets Moses and jesus prophesied about the Holy
Prophet Muhammad using words that were in consonance with unique aspects of each one’s life. Glory
finding greater expression in Moses, who was prophet,
lawgiver and king at the same time, and beauty in jesus,
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
on account of the beauty of his moral teachings. Both
these elements were combined in the person of the Holy
Prophet.
The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, Hazrat
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (whose name incidentally means
the “servant of Ahmad”), gave the organization he
founded the name “Muslims of the Ahmadiyya
Section”, and in a publication dated November 4, 1900
he explained the significance for this name. He first
explained that the name “Ahmad” was one of the two
names of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (the other name,
of course, being Muhammad) and that the names
“Ahmad” and “Muhammad” also stood for the qualities
of the Holy Prophet which he displayed in his life at
Makkah and Madinah respectively.
The name
“Ahmad” symbolized the inner beauty of Islam, and the
name “Muhammad” its outward glory. While at
Makkah, Islam was devoid of any power or material
support, and was accepted by people purely through
preaching. At Madinah, Muslims governed and were
able to physically overcome attacks by enemies. The
condition of the Muslims in the present age, he
explained, corresponds with the Holy Prophet’s life at
Makkah and, therefore, it is appropriate for this
Movement which strives to show the beauty of Islam
through gentle preaching be named after the Holy
Prophet’s name “Ahmad”.
We observe that the world today has once again
reverted to the dark ages. The fires of war driven by
greed, lust and power are raging on all sides, while tribal and sectarian rivalries are consuming the followers of
Islam. Islam, the religion of peace, is under attack by
forces of darkness, internally and externally. Muslims
have lost their hold on the covenant of God, which is the
Holy Quran, and are once more standing upon the brink
of a pit of fire. The true message of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad, who Muslims believe is that “Prophet like
unto Moses” mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy
and the “Comforter” referred to by jesus in the Gospels,
remains maligned and hidden from the world at large.
The “Light Giving Sun”, mentioned in the Holy Quran
as Siraj um Muneera in reference to the Holy Prophet
Muhammad, has to rise from the West. In other words,
the true portrait of the Holy Prophet Muhammad has to
be presented to the West.
Accordingly, this organization’s name of
‘Ahmadiyya’ signifies its objective to reveal the true
character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad to the world
by presenting his peaceful teachings to others and by
living a peaceful life in accordance with his righteous
example. In the words of Lady Ayesha, the noble wife
of the Holy Prophet, The Holy Prophet’s character was
the Holy Quran. The true portrait of the Holy Prophet is
therefore reflected by the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran
tells the Muslims:
■
THE LIGHT AND ISLAMIC REVIEW
17
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of God an
excellent exemplar for him who hopes in God and
the Latter Day, and remembers God much.”
(33:21).
This verse points to a most significant truth and a distinguishing characteristic of the Holy Prophet, being the
best exemplar and the highest model of virtue for the
faithful, under all circumstances. Indeed, it is the distinguishing characteristic of his life that he not only gave
practical rules of guidance in all walks of life, but gave
by his life a practical illustration of all those rules. Two
points are worth noting here. First, the fact that the
Prophet practically demonstrated the lessons he taught
is a sufficient answer to all those who carp at him,
because the very necessity of guiding men under varying mundane circumstances and conditions led him
through all those circumstances. Second the moral qualities which are latent within man remain in a dormant
condition unless they are called into action. Hence no
one can claim the possession of a high moral quality
unless he has had occasion to display it.
Please allow me to share a few verses of the Holy
Quran that reflect the character of Holy Prophet
Muhammad, the mercy to all nations:
“Say: I am only a mortal like you — it is revealed
to me that your God is one God. So whoever hopes
to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and
join no one in the service of his Lord.” (18:110)
“Mankind is a single nation. So Allah raised
prophets as bearers of good news and as warners,
and He revealed with them the Book with truth,
that it might judge between people concerning
that in which they differed. And none but the very
people who were given it differed about it after
clear arguments had come to them, envying one
another… ” (2:213)
“The truth is from your Lord; so let him who please
believe and let him who please disbelieve” (18:29)
“Surely Allah commands you to make over trusts
to those worthy of them, and that when you judge
between people, you judge with justice. Surely
Allah admonishes you with what is excellent.
Surely Allah is ever Hearing, Seeing.” (4:58)
“And women have rights similar to those against
them in a just manner.” (2:228)
“Hast thou seen him who belies religion?
That is the one who is rough to the orphan
And urges not the feeding of the needy.
So woe to the praying ones,
Who are unmindful of their prayer!
Who do (good) to be seen,
And refrain from acts of kindness!” (107:1-7)
The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement has been striving
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THE LIGHT AND ISLAMIC REVIEW
to convey the message of the Holy Quran through its
publications and other activities for over a hundred years.
The first Islamic periodical in the English language, titled
“The Review of Religions”, started at the behest of the
founder of the Ahmadiya Movement Hazrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad in early 1900 and answered many of the
criticisms made against Islam. This periodical later morphed into the periodicals The Light and The Islamic
Review. I would like to share with you here a quotation
from the pages of The Light from 1934:
“In its issue of February 10, 1934, the Pearson’s
Weekly of London, in the course of an article on
‘Mahomet: Prophet of Allah’ has given a most distorted pen-picture of the Holy Prophet of Islam.
Besides the outrageous illustrations of the Holy
Prophet, Hazrat Ayesha and Hazrat Bilal, the
entire article is extremely offensive in tone and
absolutely unfounded in fact. It has naturally sent
a wave of indignation throughout Muslim India
and the Punjab Government has by a special notification proscribed the said number of the Weekly.
That, however, is not where the true remedy of
such effusions lies. The root cause lies in the mentality of these Western writers. It is idle for us
Muslims to be satisfied with indignation or proscription. So long as the mentality is there, similar
writings are bound to appear from time to time. If
the Muslims really wish to put an end to this sort
of offensive literature, they must change the mentality which is responsible for it. And that can only
be done by extensive dissemination of a true picture of the Holy Prophet and by dispelling all false
notions about him.”
In response, the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement’s
English language weekly organ, The Light of Lahore,
published a special issue on 24 March 1934, consisting
of nine articles by Lahore Ahmadiyya scholars, each
refuting a different allegation against the Holy Prophet
made in the Pearson’s Weekly article. This special issue
was announced in preceding issue of The Light (16
March 1934) on its front pages.
Similarly, in 2002, shortly after 911, a collective
response by members of the U.S. based Lahore
Ahmadiyya Islamic Society to the scurrilous book
“Unveiling Islam” by Caner and Caner was serialized in
the Light and Islamic Review published right here in
Columbus Ohio. Also a website, unveilingislam.org was
set up to answer the false allegations of these authors
against Islam and the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
Interestingly in 2010 the lead author of this book, Ergun
Caner, who was a Dean at Liberty University was identified for making false statements in an article published
by the Washington Post. He subsequently lost his star
status at Liberty University.
In this incidence we witnessed the prophetic words of
■
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
the Holy Quran regarding the Holy Prophet come true:
“Surely We have granted thee a clear victory. That
God may cover for thee thy (alleged) shortcomings in the past and those to come, and complete
His favor to thee and guide thee on a right path,
And that God might help thee with a mighty
help.” (48:1-3)
Today, the Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society continues this great legacy of presenting the true picture of the
Holy Prophet Muhammad and the religion of Islam to the
world. And this is being done in a multi-faceted way:
Publication: The Lahore Ahmadiyya Islamic Society
publishes the Movement’s literary treasures and makes
them available here in America and throughout the
world. These publications are standard in the largest
retail outlets and are used as text books by many universities. In this way, we maintain a significant influence
on the development of Islamic education. E books and
dispersal of literature through the internet is also rapidly
advancing.
Translation: We have a thriving translation venture. We
translate Maulana Muhammad Ali’s Holy Quran translation and commentary and a host of our other publications
into numerous languages, including French, Spanish,
Dutch, Italian, German, Russian, Turkish, Albanian,
Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Indonesian, Tagalo, Basayan,
etc. The vast majority of these translated works are
shipped to foreign countries and placed into the hands of
the local populations for free distribution. Recently,
70,000 copies of our Russian translation/commentary of
the Holy Quran was distributed free, throughout Russia
and neighboring Central Asian countries. Those of you
who attended our symposium, last year saw the great
striving Mrs. Samina Malik is doing in this regard.
Education: We create Centers in foreign countries so
that local populations may have a forum from which
they can learn about Islam for themselves in their own
language (rather than, what is unfortunately sometimes
the case, rely on a politically motivated cleric telling
them what their religions is). We believe such accessibility of authentic Islamic material is essential to
achieve the goal of eradicating extremist ideologies
from the Muslim world. Our literature has been translated into the Arabic language and approved by the world
renowned, Al- Azhar University in Cairo Egypt.
Let us all work together through interfaith dialogue
against all forms of extremism. Let us demonstrate by
our actions the righteousness of Abraham, the gentleness of jesus and the peaceful message of the Arabian
Prophet, Muhammad. We pray that our humble efforts
will paint the true portrait of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad for all willing to see the beauty of his name
“Ahmad”. Thank you, may God bless you and may
Almighty God, the Author of Peace, be with you! ■
Some of our publications
World-renowned literature published by
Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha‘at Islam, Lahore (USA)
“Probably no man living has done longer or more valuable
service for the cause of Islamic revival than Maulana
Muhammad Ali of Lahore. His literary works, with those of
the late Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, have given fame and distinction to the Ahmadiyya Movement.” — Marmaduke
Pickthall, translator of the Quran into English.
The Holy Quran
pp. 1418. $22.95 HB. $18.95 PB.
Redesigned, retypeset new edition published in year 2002.
Arabic text, with English translation, exhaustive commentary,
comprehensive Introduction and large Index. Has since 1917
influenced millions of people all over the world. Model for all
later translations. Thoroughly revised in 1951.
Also available in Spanish, French, Russian, German, Italian and
Dutch.
The Religion of Islam
pp. 617. $22.95 HB. $18.95 PB.
Comprehensive and monumental work on the sources, principles and practices of Islam.
“Such a book is greatly needed when in many Muslim countries
we see persons eager for the revival of Islam, making mistakes
through lack of just this knowledge.” —
Marmaduke Pickthall.
Also available in German, Dutch and Indonesian.
A Manual of Hadith
pp. 400. $15.95 HB.
Sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad on practical life of a
Muslim, classified by subject. Arabic text, English translation
and notes.
Muhammad, The Prophet
pp. 200. $8.95
Researched biography of Holy Prophet. Corrects many misconceptions about his life, and answers Western criticism.
Early Caliphate
pp. 214. $8.95
History of Islam under first four Caliphs.
“Indeed two books (1) Muhammad The Prophet, (2) The Early
Caliphate, by Muhammad Ali together constitute the most complete and satisfactory history of the early Muslims hitherto compiled in English.” — Islamic Culture, April 1935.
The New World Order
pp. 86. $5.95
“… makes a thorough analysis of the complicated problems of the
world … examines the various solutions offered by Islam to the
numerous problems of the modern world” — The Dawn, Karachi.
History and Doctrines of the Babi Movement pp. 115
By M. Muhammad Ali. Deals with the Bahai religion.
The Teachings of Islam
pp. 226. $5.95
by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. Highly-acclaimed discussion
of the Islamic path for the physical, moral and spiritual progress
of man.
“The ideas are very profound and very true.” — Count Tolstoy,
Russia.
Muhammad in World Scriptures, v. 1
pp. 412. $15.95
By Maulana Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, scholar of scriptural languages. Prophecies about Prophet Muhammad in the Bible,
with quotations in original Hebrew and Greek. HB.
Jesus in Heaven on Earth
pp. 471. $18.95 HB. $13.95 PB.
By Khwaja Nazir Ahmad. Post-crucifixion journey of jesus to
Kashmir and identification of his tomb there.
Islam to East and West
pp. 142. $4.95
By Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. His famous lectures delivered in
various countries of the East and West during 1913 to 1926.
Table Talk
pp. 65. $3.95
By Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. Religion for the rational thinker.
The Ideal Prophet
pp. 212. $7.95
By Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din. His character and achievements.
Fundamentals of the Christian Faith in the light of
the Gospels, by Maulana Sadr-ud-Din
pp. 62. $2.95
Anecdotes from the life of Prophet Muhammad
By M. A. Faruqui. Life of Prophet in simple language.
The Muslim Prayer Book
Introduction to Islam
Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad
The Meaning of Surah Fatihah
pp. 90. $5.95
Details of Muslim prayer, with Arabic text, transliteration and
translation into English. Illustrated with photographs.
Brief biography of the Holy Prophet, and his teachings.
“ … so beautifully done by Muhammad Ali … should form part
of the education of every person who aspires to know the life
and career of a great historical personality” —
Times of Ceylon.
pp. 156. $6.95
$4.95
pp. 49
$3.95
pp. 66. $4.95
by Dr Zahid Aziz. For younger readers and beginners. Basic
Islam explained in question/answer format.
pp. 16. $4.95
By Fazeel Sahukhan. Illustrated, color, children’s book.
Al-Hamdu-li-llah
pp. 18. $7.95
By Fazeel Sahukhan. Illustrated, color, children’s book for
under-fives to teach them ten basic Islamic phrases.
“And when the books are spread”
(81:10)
It gives us great pleasure to announce the
conversion and availability of many of
our titles in e-book format, including the
English Translation and Commentary
of the Holy Quran, History of the
Prophets, Muhammad the Prophet,
The Religion of Islam, The Manual
of Hadith, The Early Caliphate,
Living Thoughts of Prophet
Muhammad, among others. With
the increasing popularity of
e-readers, e-books have, by
many accounts, become a
preferred means to read literature. In order to continue to
have the world-renowned
literary treasures written by Maulana
Muhammad Ali, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad, and other Lahore Ahmadiyya authors easily
accessible to the general public, we have ventured to generate e-books
of our standard publications.
These, and a growing library of our e-book publications, are available through all major
on-line book vendors or by contacting us directly at:
Ahmadiyya Anjuman
Isha‘at Islam, Lahore (USA)
P.O. Box 3370, Dublin, Ohio 43016, U.S.A.
www.muslim.org